Republicans Offer Deal on Unemployment Extension Vote

Updated, 3:34 p.m. | Senate Democratic leaders are weighing an offer from Senate Republicans to agree to a vote on one catchall amendment, including authorization of the Keystone XL pipeline, in exchange for finishing work on an unemployment insurance extension bill today.

A senior Senate Democratic aide said they believe wrapping several Republican amendments into one has the effect of “watering down” their efforts to score political points.

“The fact that we are considering this at all, I think, shows that their gotcha amendments have lost their punch,” the aide continued.

The proposal would likely have a 60-vote threshold, the aide said, but stressed it was still being finalized. Passage of the amendment would be unlikely since Democrats control 55 votes in the chamber.

If a deal is reached, Senate Majority Leader Reid, D-Nev., would likely set up a vote on their paycheck equity bill for Tuesday, which is recognized as Equal Pay Day by the National Committee on Pay Equity, a coalition including women’s and civil rights organizations.

Along with authorizing the Keystone pipeline, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the amendment would include his proposal that would block carbon emissions rules for coal-fired power plants.

He said it would also include a provision scrapping the 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices under the Affordable Care Act, and eliminate language in the law that defines the full time employees as those that work 30 hours a week. (Update: The voting deal fell apart, but the legislation advanced 61-35 late Thursday. Final passage vote will now take place Monday.)

The Republican-run House today is considering its own legislation addressing the full-time definition issue.

The GOP amendment would also include tax proposals, such as a provision making permanent the $500,000 expensing limit for small businesses, and would also permanently expand cash accounting to firms with annual gross receipts of up to $10 million.

It would further require agencies to conduct a cost-benefit analysis and consider alternatives to proposed regulations, and require advanced public notice of major rulemakings with greater than $100 million in annual costs. The GOP proposal also includes the House-passed SKILLS Act, which reforms and streamlines federal worker training programs.

Senate Republicans have been pressuring Democrats to allow them to offer amendments to the unemployment extension package. On Wednesday, Republicans sought unanimous consent to attach their amendments to the bill, but each time Democrats objected.

Democrats have been reluctant to allow amendments to the bill, in part because it has the 60 votes needed to pass. The measure was negotiated over months between five Democrats and five Republicans. Attaching a controversial amendment could bring down the whole bill.

“The Senate needs to be allowed to function again,” McConnell said. “When members file amendments on behalf of their constituents, those amendments should get due consideration. That’s particularly true when those amendments have bipartisan support and aim to address our still ailing economy and the families struggling in it.

“My hope is that our Democrat colleagues will allow this to happen,” he said.

Larry king

April 3, 2014
12:11 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell needs to give this same advice to Speaker of the house John Boenher. Instead of blocking the bill, he needs to allow a vote on the house floor. It should not be up to one man whether or not a bill is passed. Boehner is not God! Listen to the voice of the people! They want this extension to pass! Boehner is only thinking of himself and not the American people!

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
12:51 p.m.

Is this out of the Senate yet??…I thought reid said it was an agreed upon meaasure ready for passage?…like 3 weeks ago??….yer so dramatic…BTW…it is NOT up to one man…Speaking of one man??..Where’s Obama on this??..he should be out front leading the cause…Hmmm…Hmm…Hmm…

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
1:01 p.m.

The Obama administration has NO CLUE what to do with the LT Unemployed….Obama offers no help..they have no plans…they just put together redundant focus groups that surmise the obvious and come back to the starting point..OBAMA IS OFFERING THE LT UNEMPLOYED NO SOLUTIONS…except job destruction via economic policies and obamacare..the best jobs bill is to kill obamacare..

ForThePeople

April 3, 2014
1:20 p.m.

Obama administration ahs been blocked every step of the way There are jobs bill in congress from the president but John wont put them up for a vote and everything republicans have been offering is repeal the ACA and a pipeline that wont create any permanent job here read up stop trolling

kasia54

April 3, 2014
10:42 p.m.

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
10:58 p.m.

I stand by my critique of you “permit” post…and..stand by my comment Obama has a big problem on his hands concerning his ideology…State Dept says “okay”…its all on Obama..you really, really have a hard time with reading and comprehension..typical..

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
11:01 p.m.

the Govt will get any land they want and need once authorized…again…just as any local/state govt can…you just don’t understand the process…its all on Obama…once he approves…the fed govt takes over..skids get greased..done deal…eminent domain..land condemnation…yer so clueless..

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
11:11 p.m.

Send me that link showing Boehner is a drunk??..bigot

bartholomew

April 3, 2014
7:05 p.m.

Sherry

April 3, 2014
4:21 p.m.

He needs to go. How is giving him all the power over the president. It’s time for him to step in and do his JOB. It’s time we ALL change and email and call the president. We need to be heard. We are all waisting our time on all the other sites.

bartholomew

April 3, 2014
7:04 p.m.

VinnyFromIndy

April 3, 2014
1:02 p.m.

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
1:05 p.m.

and so are you….you’re the biggest troll there is..there is a term in the Bible for you..while yer at it, troll, great article on CNBC about the unemployed and Obama’s lack of a coherent plan lavck of any plan for teh LT unemployed…you’ll enjoy the comments…the electorate is speaking…BYE BYE UNEMPLOYED!!!…

VinnyFromIndy

April 3, 2014
1:07 p.m.

Before Sebastian made hs profile private, you could click on his name and see that he ONLY comments using this name on articles about the unemployment bill. That’s it. His Sebastian Klay name is used solely for commenting on threads about this bill. This is the way paid trolls operate. Look for Sebastian to pop up on most other articles about this bill.

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
1:16 p.m.

What’s your point??…you make no sense…you’re talking to yourself..you don’t get it…you do the same thing..we’re just on opposite sides…get over yourselff and STOP flattering yourself..no one is that interested in what you say based on lack of replies to your beneign comments…you spread hate more than anyone…particlularly towards our unemployed veterans..duh!!…I look for you to pop up on every article too…

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
1:16 p.m.

What’s your point??…you make no sense…you’re talking to yourself..you don’t get it…you do the same thing..we’re just on opposite sides…get over yourselff and STOP flattering yourself..no one is that interested in what you say based on lack of replies to your beneign comments…you spread hate more than anyone…particlularly towards our unemployed veterans..duh!!…I look for you to pop up on every article too…

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
1:25 p.m.

So??…where’s Obama??..where’s his plan for the LT unemployed??…well??..he doesn’t have one, sucker….go read the article on cnbc.com…they administration has no clue what to do with the LT unemployed

Priorities

April 3, 2014
4:33 p.m.

Dude Obama is where he should be right now MIA!!! Given how the repubs has been attacking anything he says or supports. His presence in all this would only make things more challenging than it already is!!!

kasia54

April 3, 2014
8:13 p.m.

He’s the reason the Republicans are playing so dirty ~ they HATE (what’s a stronger word for hate?) that a black man won the presidency TWICE! I voted Republican since voting age until my fifth decade. No more. They are a big fat useless bunch of drunken crooks. The Dems aren’t any better but I didn’t vote them in.

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
9:54 p.m.

and a bigot too….nic

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
9:36 p.m.

turtling up…oh….you mean asking him to defend his lies???…nice….so…your ideology includes lying and covering up to further your agenda??….

K.D.

April 3, 2014
9:38 p.m.

OK SEBASTIAN, PUT YOUR DUNCE CAP BACK ON!

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
9:40 p.m.

Problem wit your keyboard, Dunce

K.D.

April 3, 2014
9:41 p.m.

NO I HAVE A LIFE.

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
9:43 p.m.

Doesn’t appear so….here you are…keyboarding in all caps is so 90’s-ish

K.D.

April 3, 2014
9:47 p.m.

YOUR MOMMY SAYS IT’S BEDTIME. YOU CAN PLAY WITH YOUR LABTOP TOMARROW, OK?

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
9:51 p.m.

Nice Marcus

K.D.

April 4, 2014
11:26 a.m.

Here’s a retired reserve air force colonel with a occupational skill in entertainment. Well LODDY FRICKEN DAH. I’ve got more time standing in the chow hall line than you have on active duty. Give up!

DL

April 3, 2014
1:56 p.m.

Yep. Don’t even bother responding to him. Just talk around him and don’t even read his posts. I don’t. I see his name and just keep scrolling. He posts under many names and has nothing to offer anybody in the way of intelligent insight. Just ignore him like the gnat he is.

bartholomew

April 3, 2014
7:06 p.m.

K.D.

April 3, 2014
9:35 p.m.

CHILDREN MUST PLAY!

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
9:41 p.m.

Do you even have an original thought??..yer a badly trained parrot

K.D.

April 3, 2014
10:27 p.m.

Yes I have a thought. There’s a lot of Americans in dire need of money to survive. They need help, they don’t need inconsiderate assholes who THINK they’re funny to antagonize them. That’s so un- American and I’m convinced that what I’m saying to you doesn’t touch your PEA BRAIN!

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
11:03 p.m.

yea!!..you found the caps key…good boy…good poochie…how’s that small red potato you call a brain of yours doing??…it must be frustrating little poochie not having control over any facet of your life..

K.D.

April 4, 2014
7:53 a.m.

Your just mad cause I got in your head. You dried up little p#$$y fart.

kasia54

April 3, 2014
3:12 p.m.

Sebastian Klay is Marcus Maxon and a few other alias’. Just ignore his comments – won’t be hard = they are all ignorant, condescending and juvenile.

kasia54

April 3, 2014
3:11 p.m.

flycatcher

April 3, 2014
3:38 p.m.

Yer so ignorant…you think yer God for thinking you now what Boehner is thinking…there is a name in the Bible for you, fool…have a few more scotch and waters yourself…make your life feel better momentarily then..you wake up..and its still crap..

kasia54

April 3, 2014
11:39 p.m.

flycatcher

April 4, 2014
9:09 a.m.

No…again…you are confused…you keep replying to me..ignoring ‘the truth” you so purport…remember your response to DL….you said he speaks the truth.which was to ignore me…but you can’t ignore me…so??..you are violating your own beliefs…I…am…touching…nerves….with,…you..but..being a bigot and of irrational mind, you can’t quite get your little mind around such a layered concept…typical ignorant bigot…did ya read and understand my link to your precious NPR…its all on Obama, bigot..

kasia54

April 4, 2014
8:52 p.m.

I rest my case. If you truly didn’t care or if you truly meant what you say in these comments, you just wouldn’t respond at all. Haha.

Sebastian Klay

April 5, 2014
9:53 a.m.

Umm…likewise…so??..you actually care about…kinda strange for a bigot. Especially some natty-haired one

Sherry

April 3, 2014
4:14 p.m.

He thinks he is god and he is being all most treated like him. The American people are letting him. He is a drunk and he needs to go. Not sure if everyone is aware but Boehner just bought himself a nice big home.

Doug Parker

April 3, 2014
6:56 p.m.

Icare

April 3, 2014
9:49 p.m.

It’s really up to the rest of the republicans as to whether it will be put up to a vote if they disagree with John Boy…

99% of the Kosh pribeline jobs are temporary and will be gone once the pipeline is finished! Then What?

This is just a temp fix to just a portion of the job problems.

How about investing in businesses that can be hosted in any state?

Maybe it is time for more employee owned businesses.

How many new businesses owned by the now unemployed could then be created?

And created in the area they are now living and able to afford a good
living while creating jobs and selling goods and products…

And all this can be sustainable without the corporate greed…

Imagine… tens of millions of heads coming together and using the
law of the land to prosper and live the real American Dream…

All you have to do, but only with the money sources to start the
businesses… this would come by pooling 50% of your extended ui checks
to create and fund the newly created businesses…. you just have to
come together and make it happen.

Icare

April 3, 2014
9:49 p.m.

The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII) prohibits any law that
increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress from taking
effect until the start of the next set of terms of office for Representatives.

It is the most recent amendment to the United States Constitution. It
was submitted to the states for ratification in September 1789 and
became part of the United States Constitution in May 1992, a record
setting period of 202 years, 7 months and 12 days.[1]

Who decides what size salary and when they get it???

It’s no wonder they are paid so much!!!

They shouldn’t be allowed to decide how big of raise they get!!

It should be put to a vote every time they cry about wanting a higher
salary and let the people decide how much of a raise they have earned!!

April 3, 2014
1:15 p.m.

LaughnigLion

April 3, 2014
1:15 p.m.

LaughnigLion

April 3, 2014
12:25 p.m.

Why can’t the Senate and the House just deal with the UIE separately and leave the “junk” amendments, that have nothing to do with the bill, off? Quit playing politics with people’s lives! I am disgusted with both Democrats and Republicans. They are more concerned with showing each other up and winning the next election than helping the long-term unemployed Americans. Even Ukrainians got more compassion and help!

Michele Wilcox

April 3, 2014
12:40 p.m.

NO!! Absolutely not! The Keystone pipeline is a very bad idea and we all know it. Pass a clean bill to extend unemployment benefits without these attachments that are only going to hurt us in the long run. Notice there is always money for war but never enough for helping the people in our own country.

LaughnigLion

April 3, 2014
1:09 p.m.

Listen, which would you rather have, (a) a huge petroleum Pork-enstein pollution project that lines the pockets of Republican and Tea Party supporters, (b) aid and support for long-term struggling unemployed Americans (c) more tax relief for your business pals in this so-called “trickle-down” economics, or (d) another attempt to chip away at that evil Obamacare that the Republicans are obsessed with overturning? Oh, you answered “b”, I’m sorry but you are not a “true American” in the eyes of the Republican/Tea Party, you are a lazy mooching couch-potato. Go directly to “broke” and don’t pass GO.

DL

April 3, 2014
2:15 p.m.

NeedsVacation

April 3, 2014
12:44 p.m.

PHONE JAM BOEHNER

Contact John Boehner’s office until the phones are unplugged:
John Boehner says the implementation will be “difficult”? Is that really the attitude you want to have towards long-term unemployed seeking jobs? Its “difficult” so give up?
#SETEXAMPLE

John Boehner
Phone: (202) 225-0600
(Press 1 to leave a message or 2 to speak with his assistant)

ladysidearm

April 3, 2014
12:48 p.m.

How Dare They

The republicans are adding things that they have been fighting for for the past 6 years against Obama. They have found something that would keep people in there homes, food on the tables and possibly a little hope and turned it into a political game for themselves. These Republican Senators are trying to pass bills for big businesses again to have tax breaks and to screw with the pollution and a pipeline what in the world does that have to do with people being able to eat. When this bill passes because of all the game playing the government itself looks bad. They care more about everyone else than their own people. As soon as they saw that the unemployed were still going to hurt the government should have been aggressively proactive. But instead they leave us begging for food and shelter and they blame it on us. Because employers don’t want to hire anyone over 50 anymore. So guess what I’m not going to vote for anyone over 50 anymore or who will be turning 50 while in office because they will be to old to be able to perform the job. I guess everyone would be replaced. (SMILES)

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
12:56 p.m.

The Obama administration has NO CLUE what to do with the LT Unemployed….Obama offers no help..they have no plans…they just put together redundant focus groups that surmise the obvious and come back to the starting point..OBAMA IS OFFERING THE LT UNEMPLOYED NO SOLUTIONS…except job destruction via economic policies and obamacare..the best jobs bill is to kill obamacare..

VinnyFromIndy

April 3, 2014
12:59 p.m.

Sebastian is tasked by his superiors to troll any thread about the unemployment bill. He searches Google News everyday and then comments on every article. His comments are arrogantly ignorant, hateful and profoundly stupid, but his job is merely to act like there is opposition to this bill passing. Sebastian is the perfect paid troll because at heart, he is a sadistic sociopath that gets off on tormenting desperate people.

Sebastian is the modern Republican Party. Think of him when you vote next November.

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
1:22 p.m.

You copy and paste the same “reply” as you follow me over the internet…read comments above on diff part of thread..get over yourself!!…N O ONE is listening to you!!!….why don’t you offer facts to questions…you offer nothing..where is our Lying King out front..leading the cause for the grief stricken unemployed thrown out into the cold??

DL

April 3, 2014
2:14 p.m.

Sebastian Klay

April 3, 2014
2:21 p.m.

yer so dramatic….yer just a troll yourself…no better..no worse…but..you are so into yourself…you can’t see that…don’t flatter yourself, DL…no one is listening to you…no one is replying to your drivel except the ones seeing through your ignorance and apathy..typical Liberal Arts failure..

K.D.

April 4, 2014
10:37 a.m.

George Rodriguez

April 3, 2014
1:03 p.m.

WTF? koch brothers pipeline? who runs america? koch brothers or the people? pass the pipeline with prevailing wage rules and see if the GOP likes that? no they want low wage workers building it. we are done.

LaughnigLion

April 3, 2014
1:26 p.m.

Where do I apply to work on the pipeline? I think a condition for passing the pipeline deal is that all the long-term unemployed should have first crack at the pipeline jobs and then open it up to everyone else. Crazy idea but no crazier than anything else the Republicans or Democrats put in their pipes to smoke.

phlhui

April 3, 2014
1:07 p.m.

The GOP not only took the jobs from a bunch of biomed research staff when they cut NIH funding ( bc who needs cures, treatments and disease control, amirite?), but they cut their unemployment insurance despite essentially destroying the industry that could employ them.

JustinBailey

April 3, 2014
1:11 p.m.

What we need is legislation in place to make it a federal offense to obstruct the legislative process in order to make amendments not related to specific issues covered by a bill. This new law should be retroactive and impose fines on all individuals who have previously amended or proposed amendments to bills out of context of the bill. This includes lobbyist, campaign contributors, public interest groups, etc. If you want a law passed, write a bill. If you can’t get your bill passed legally, don’t pork barrel another bill. This is ludicrous. Absolutely despicable. A country with a gun to its head in the form of a handful of people who want to make a quick buck.

LaughnigLion

April 3, 2014
1:12 p.m.

ForThePeople

April 3, 2014
1:27 p.m.

I am not unemployed but was in 2009 and did not get work till 2011 and yes I used my UI benefits to pay bills and rent Had to sell my car and down size my life style But if it was not for the extensions of UI benefits I would of lost everything . I support the extension of this and shame on you all you who cant understand what this means for so many. ( I was waiting just like you guys the last time the republican did not extend Call your senators and your congress reps it works )

Pearl Adlington

April 3, 2014
2:31 p.m.

People who haven’t lost their jobs will never understand.i lost my job after working there 25 years. I have never been so lost in my life.i apply ,but they look at me like I should be home taking care of grand kids.its not as black and white as some believe.i hope they pass the bill so that my single mom co workers are able to hang on to their homes.It breaks my heart to see them struggling with no money and I can’t help them .I volunteer at the food bank and the line gets longer every week so don’t judge til your in their shoes,because someday you may be in their shoes!

kasia54

April 3, 2014
5:12 p.m.

Don’t believe a word of this worm’s words. That’s all they are — words. He’s living in his parent’s musty, moldy basement. He has brain damage from the mold. Ignore him. He’s mad because he was refused UI benefits so he’s got to trash those who are fighting for their lives. He likes to kick people when they are down — move along past his name — there’s nothing to see here — he’s posting under “flycatcher,” among other names.

Rick

April 3, 2014
2:38 p.m.

I tend to agree with you. I mean, in my mind, the Reps and Dems are pretty much equally absurd with playing politics with people’s lives.

While the Dems have enough vote to get this passed in the Senate without giving up any concessions, we have to ask ourselves if it makes any sense to pass it, knowing that without some concessions, it will never make it through the Republican controlled House next week anyway.

Just give the Reps some concessions now, to get this thing through without more delays next week. There are people in desperate need, and if both this doesn’t get resolved by the end of next week, the Congress will be going off on another recess – this time for two weeks.

The only thing that should matter is to remember that this is in fact EMERGENCY aid. I put that word in all caps for a reason. Most of the stuff the Reps have stuffed into this amendment, won’t have any real immediate effect on anyone or the economy for many months or even years down the road, the Unemplyment Extension will.

This is Unemployment Extension is an EMERGENCY situation for nearly 2.5 million people, who are losing their homes, apartments and utilities, each week that this bill is delayed,

jess

April 3, 2014
5 p.m.

I’m with on this, Gary. But I’m wondering if the democrats give concessions now before the bill reaches the House, if Boehner will STILL ask for more concessions besides the pipeline? I’m wondering if they are thinking if they give the republicans an inch now, they will try for a mile in the House with MORE amendments? Not sure if this is how the process works, but it would explain why Reid is reluctant to go along with amendments at this stage.

Jason Lockwood

April 3, 2014
1:55 p.m.

After looking for TEN months I finally found a job today. Took that long just to find a job as a server in a local diner. It had nothing to do with EUC stopping. I have been looking all along. Thankfully I have been able to keep a roof over my head. I was forced to rent out my spare room (of which I planned ot do anyway) and my living room just to make sure my rent is paid and keep food on the table. Thankfully I was able to find some odd jobs with friends of friends since my regular UC ended to pay the rest of the bills so I didn’t loose everything. I feel for those of you that have not found a job yet. I still cross my fingers that the EUC gets passed because the back pay will allow me to get caught up so I am not scrapping for the next 6 months to a year trying to pay off all my back bills.

Did I read this wrong or is the DEMOCRATIC party looking for the compromise to PASS this bill? Sounds to me like if they do it will get passed. I know that this isn’t ideal but unless this deal happens we all know there is no way that it will ever come up for a vote in the House. If this deal happens the bill will have every requirement that the House has been asking for with the bill. Wake up and realize that these are dirty people with dirty minds. They want what they want. Now, if they could have just did this deal months ago when it was first presented this would have been passed a long time ago.

While the Republicans have a lot to blame in this not passing so doesn’t the Dems. If the Dems care at all about Americans they will swallow their pride and take the dam deal. I know the pipeline will only create temp jobs but jobs are jobs even if they are short lived. I bet the lucky few that get those jobs will be thankful for the fact that they can take care of their family and not depend on UC any longer even if it is only for the short period of time the job is for.

I will admit, I do not know what the pipeline will do to mother nature. Unless someone can give me a valid reason why this pipeline is a bad idea, I see no reason not to do it. Packing more money in the riches pockets is not a valid reason not to do the pipe line either. No matter how they create jobs the corporations are going to make bank. At least this way we know where it is going so we can use it as leverage in the future.

Reps and Dems make the “stupid” deal so we can move on with our lives. Life is about compromise.

Not only that but much of the material needed to build the pipeline would come from foreign counties, namely Canada and India. Which of course means most of the job creation would be in foreign countries as well.

According to the State Dept. there would be 35-50 permanent jobs after construction was completed. Construction that would only last a year or two and employ less than 10,000 people in temp jobs.

DL

April 3, 2014
2 p.m.

Rick

April 3, 2014
2:40 p.m.

Just do whatever it takes to get the deal done, Passing it in the Senate now, knowing that it will not make it through the HOUSE next week without concessions, may only delay things even more. The people in dire need right now, need help.

manesandtails1

April 3, 2014
2:22 p.m.

Rick

April 3, 2014
2:54 p.m.

People that are about to lose their homes and apartments, and have their power shut off, and have something for their kids to eat, don’t care about the Pipeline or this “blackmail” as you call it. They care about cutting through al this partisan political BS, and getting aid as fast as possible.

LaughnigLion

April 3, 2014
2:35 p.m.

Do you get the feeling that is is all a choreographed dance between all these politicians, sort of like “professional wrestling”? Behind the scenes the Democratic and Republican leadership are coordinating each move so they “look” good to their constituents.

[My apologies to all the good and honest professional wrestlers out there for comparing you to politicians.]

VinnyFromIndy

April 3, 2014
3:06 p.m.

The GOP is waging war on millions of desperate unemployed Americans and doing whatever is necessary to keep the unemployment bill extending benefits from passing. Conversely and at the same time, the GOP is going to fight very hard and pass quickly a bill that will allow companies like GE and others to “offshore” their profits so they won’t be taxed. It is estimated that the passage of this “tax extender” bill will cost the Treasury over 60 BILLION dollars. In the case of GE and the other corporations that want to shield their income from the tax man, the GOP offers no “pay for” at all.

The GOP is at war with average Americans. In the last few months they have thrown the poor, veterans and the unemployed to the wolves. This is TENS OF MILLIONS of Americans that are being purposely harmed by the GOP. Anyone that votes for Republicans in the next election should have their heads examined.

VinnyFromIndy

April 3, 2014
3:06 p.m.

The GOP is waging war on millions of desperate unemployed Americans and doing whatever is necessary to keep the unemployment bill extending benefits from passing. Conversely and at the same time, the GOP is going to fight very hard and pass quickly a bill that will allow companies like GE and others to “offshore” their profits so they won’t be taxed. It is estimated that the passage of this “tax extender” bill will cost the Treasury over 60 BILLION dollars. In the case of GE and the other corporations that want to shield their income from the tax man, the GOP offers no “pay for” at all.

The GOP is at war with average Americans. In the last few months they have thrown the poor, veterans and the unemployed to the wolves. This is TENS OF MILLIONS of Americans that are being purposely harmed by the GOP. Anyone that votes for Republicans in the next election should have their heads examined.

LaughnigLion

April 3, 2014
3:22 p.m.

JG59

April 3, 2014
3:25 p.m.

Does the GOP have to placate the oil industry at every turn?
What on earth does the Keystone pipeline have to do with legislation (paid for) temporarily pulling people out of poverty? Does the GOP have to placate big oil at every turn, even if it means holding hostage those who are about to lose home or car through no fault of their own?
I used to be a Reagan Republican. I will never vote Republican again as I live to breathe.
They want a pipeline? Pass it on its own merits soulless hippocritts.

henryblake403

April 7, 2014
12:38 p.m.

I stopped voting Republican when W invented fake evidence to go to war in Iraq in 2003. Then they threw a war hero named Colin Powell under the bus in front of the UN Security council. Needless to say, Gen. Powell resigned the administration. YOU CAN LOOK THIS UP!! if you think I’m lying.

cathy

April 3, 2014
4:31 p.m.

DJMiles

April 3, 2014
5:02 p.m.

Senate Democrats are running the clock out to ensure that it won’t be able to pass the house by next Thursday when Congress goes on vacation until may. This 5 month Republican proposal is from March 9th the Democrats do not want to extend unemployment or they would have added it to the December budget deal

peacefornow

April 3, 2014
5:13 p.m.

DJMiles

April 3, 2014
5:25 p.m.

henryblake403

April 7, 2014
12:34 p.m.

Absolutely right! This democrat political stunt back fired in December when they refused to attach the bill to the budget bill….ooops. Now they are all faking interest in us, and hoping to get a lot of votes out of the mess they created….. Can you say SUCKER…..?

Christopher George

April 3, 2014
4:47 p.m.

No. We should just send the money to the Ukraine. Just kidding! What the hell are they thinking. Get this passed so people can continue AFFORD to continue looking for work. Jesus, isn’t that just insane? People can’t afford to look for work because our government went unchecked and sent all the jobs overseas, then they make us bear the brunt of their terrible planning. Extend the bill with no amendments. People are starving.

phlhui

April 3, 2014
4:59 p.m.

Colleen

April 3, 2014
5:42 p.m.

tax returns (yes we pay taxes on UI benefits) and loans from family/friends, help from the church, and assistance from the county (apparently they pool resources from non-profits) Oh, and once UI ran out most people qualified for food stamps then…

The Crying Boozer Tangerine

April 10, 2014
3:44 a.m.

phlhui

April 10, 2014
12:19 p.m.

I lost my job doing medical research for the NIH since the GOP cut the NIH budget in half. Who needs medical cures, treatments and disease control? That money’s best served going to more tax cuts for the rich, amirite? Half of my lab lost their jobs.

I’ve been fortunate enough to save, and I have a woman who makes $150,000/yr, so I’m fine for now. But not everyone’s this fortunate. We won’t be able to donate as much to charities this year and since I’m not earning, I’m too embarrassed to spend any money on luxuries. That means our local bartender and wait staffs probably makes $50 less per week. How’s that for some trickle-down?

My father finally bailed on the GOP. He was life-long. Dismissing the importance of NIH research was the final straw. And he was the owner of an engineering company that just sold it for millions.

Even rich people are bailing on the GOP.

Now if we could just get the guns+bible crowd to realize they’re being duped and exploited for votes….

The Crying Boozer Tangerine

April 10, 2014
7:07 p.m.

By destroying the middle class the GOP ensures less competition for the ultra rich. I have seen alot of people shocked out of apathy by the levels of greed and takesmanship the GOP is now dealing in. The ideals behind the GOP are dead and most lifelong Republicans are beginning to figure out that their party is just a zombie shell for the ultra-rich. I believe that for there to be real conservatives in Washington again campaign finance reform has to happen and vote rigging has to end. The Koch brothers are not the friends of Republican idealists.

Colleen

April 3, 2014
5:39 p.m.

Why cant they just pass it and spend the next 2 months hashing things out… hopefully by then they will come to some sort of an agreement… at least then people will have a lifeline to um, i dont know, SURVIVE? Last Dec they just sort of let the thing expire without spending the time to sit down coming up with a deal/agreement… i guess they were too busy worrying where they were going on vacation for christmas.

Constituent

April 3, 2014
8:19 p.m.

drhoops

April 3, 2014
10:31 p.m.

The Democrat politicians, who I voted for my entire life could have rammed this bill thru and passed it back in December but they wanted to use it as leverage in the November’s election.

They misplayed their hand and found out recently this issue won’t sway votes in November, so now people like myself are screwed because Republican politicians have all the leverage and Harry Reid has no clue how to broker a deal, which has left me without benefits since December along with millions of other people.

Everyone knows in negotiating it’s all about leverage. You can’t negotiate from weakness.

Mr. Reid, I am begging you to PLEASE, on this one issue, take a step back, give the Republicans most of what they want on the jobs bills, find a way to pay for it but make them extend the Unemployment benefits for the entire 2014 year.

Then when election time comes in November, THEN rub it their faces. Don’t play politics with my life. As a army war veteran, this isn’t how we’re supposed to be treated after serving and risking our lives for our country.

Since they’re so stupid not to realize it, be the adult in the room and make it happen. I’m begging you.

Rick Bator

April 3, 2014
10:56 p.m.

Donald L Campbell

April 5, 2014
12:07 a.m.

Sebastian is just an A _ _ hole like Boehner, don’t Know any thing, he just speaks Hefer Dust!. But the dems do need to do what the Reps. are asking for, it is in the best interest of our Country as a hole. And you are right Larry Boehner does need to take advice from McConnell.

jimwilson81

April 5, 2014
11:09 a.m.

Icare

April 6, 2014
1:34 a.m.

This
is why ‘OUR’ government is Broken!!! C’mon, this is Just ONE of the
reasons both dems and repups get such high contributions to their
re-election campaign funds. 20% of $50 Billion split by 200 equals $250
Million in campaign funds each.

Extending Emergency Unemployment:
Senate Democrats and a few Republications Finally Expected to Vote to
Extend Benefits — and “”Rush through Corporate Tax Cuts”” that would
cost U.S. Tax Payers about $50 billion on hard earned tax dollars if the
Corporate Tax Cuts are Renewed, or as the government would say it….
this would cost the U.S. Treasury about $50 billion this year!!!

Melissa Montana

April 6, 2014
8:27 a.m.

The Crying Boozer Tangerine

April 6, 2014
5:53 p.m.

Oh wow and it only took them 5 months, 300,000 more jobs, and billions of dollars lost in the economy to come up with the obvious things that would boost their stock portfolios. WHY COULDN’T THEY DO THIS 5 MONTHS AGO!?

The Crying Boozer Tangerine

April 6, 2014
5:54 p.m.

The Crying Boozer Tangerine

April 6, 2014
10:34 p.m.

Just remember all this when they build the pipeline cheaply without any real oversight. In a few years we’re going to have an ‘oops! TEEHEE!’ spill that screws up the central aquifers and Boehner won’t give a damn.

henryblake403

April 7, 2014
12:26 p.m.

Just give the extension benefits to those in states that have a very high unemployment rate (Rhode Island, Illinois, California) and to the veterans who have been out of work over 6 months. The rest of us can just pound sand!

Allan Murphy

April 13, 2014
7:39 p.m.

Yonatan YONATAN

April 13, 2014
8 p.m.

While the crisis in the Ukraine, is newsworthy and important, let us not forget the more than two million unemployed workers, and their families, who had loss their benefits last December, still waiting for the Unemployment Extension Bill to pass in the senate. Since late last December, the Republicans have dragged their feet, and have put off passing the bill, while millions of families have been suffering on account of it. For the first time in many years, the senate failed to extend the benefits for the unemployed, leaving these poor families to suffer eviction, home foreclosures, bankruptcy, and homelessness. Even though the congress quickly approved of Billions of dollars in aid for the Ukraine. How is this possible? How can the republicans justify spending Billions of tax payer’s dollars on foreign aid, yet refuse to help poor Americans at home? These workers were not asking for something that they haven’t already paid into over the course of their working years. These families need help, and need it now. If our country can use tax payer’s money to Bailout Huge Corporations, they should be also capable of giving assistance to those who have worked for it. The problem isn’t with the poor and unemployed in this country, but with the government spending billions of dollars on Corporate welfare and corporation bailouts. What happened after all those bailouts?? The CEO’S rewarded themselves with huge bonuses on the tax payer’s tab. That was the thanks we received from Corporate America for our help. The Republican Party likes to represent their party as being the party for “family values”. But where are their values? Charity should begin at home, and it’s been too long now that these unemployed Americans have been suffering, Senators such as John Boehner, have shown their contempt for the poor and less advantaged in this country, and in the coming elections in 2016, the Republican Party will realize their mistake in not supporting these two million unemployed workers

drhoops

April 15, 2014
3:05 a.m.

Reid thought this issue was going to hurt the Republicans in November and that’s why he didn’t ram it thru in December. Now he has NO Plan B.
Any extension MUST include the entire 2014 year.
He better get something done before they go home for the summer otherwise I’ll voice my protest by not even voting for my Democrats in November and I’ll be more than happy to tell any reporter why. Because Harry Reid gambled with my life.

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June 25, 2015
5:21 p.m.

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About #WGDB

Niels Lesniewski has covered the Senate for CQ Roll Call since January 2010, and more recently as a staff writer and resident procedure guru for Roll Call. Niels holds degrees in both government and theater but sometimes can't tell the difference between the two. @nielslesniewski